Some photos of the course (reddit). It doesn't look like a lot of rain is expected between now and Sunday, so a true mudfest looks unlikely.
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If she was from the CX heartlands, she'd likely have been snapped up by one of the well known teams......This move isn't much of a step up. Her Czech compatriot is one of the favourites for the women's Junior title......I wonder if she'll also struggle to get a decent contract anywhere.We sadly haven't had much reason to talk about Kristýna Zemanová this winter as her season has been ruined by Covid, which is also why she won't be competing this weekend. We have previously discussed the chances of her joining a bigger team, but it's now been announced that she will move from Brilon to the new VIF team, which has Vuelta stage winner Tomáš Konečný and former Kern Pharma rider Vojtěch Řepa as DSes.
At this point it doesn't really seem like a step forward, but if it means that she'll be riding more races on the road this year, it could benefit her during the next CX season. But she obviously has to fully regain her former fitness first.
Backstedt is a heavier favourite than anyone in the women's elite race, but I agree there are more potential podium contenders in the U23 race.The women’s U23 race seems loaded, with several riders who have podiumed at the elite level. North American presence too.
If she was from the CX heartlands, she'd likely have been snapped up by one of the well known teams......This move isn't much of a step up. Her Czech compatriot is one of the favourites for the women's Junior title......I wonder if she'll also struggle to get a decent contract anywhere.
Nice. Maybe not as entertaining, but I learned more about the course than I usually do from a Puck Pieterse video.View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGZqwUGjZ8o
Not to technical and not a lot of running. Also not much rain expected in the next days.
Belgium can probably claim to have the best set of elite riders. Less impressive in the other categories. It will be interesting to see (or not see, is it being broadcast?) where the differences are made.I hope Belgium can win the team relay, as a farewell success for legend Sanne Cant.
Good showing. Not very technical but that second half / last off-camber section could be decisive between MVDP and WVAView: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGZqwUGjZ8o
Not to technical and not a lot of running. Also not much rain expected in the next days.
Hoogerheide 2018:Just one crazy statistics: when you only count the european world cups, Hoogerheide 2018 was the last world cup until Maasmechelen 2025 when two non dutch women riders were on the podium.
Shows us again how dominant the dutch women riders were in last years.
I'm a little surprised, three juniors, two u23's and one senior must be the wat to go.Great Britain wins the relay. Wanted to see how the course was today but no live coverage.
That's not really true though. Arguably the best Dutch riders of the last decade were Demi Vollering, Anna van der Breggen, and Annemiek van Vleuten. None of them crossers. Lucinda Brand, currently the best crosser, is not, nor has she ever been, one of the top talents of Dutch cycling.As much as the Dutch have been dominant, they're really the only nation whose top talents have chosen to race in CX.
Were you expecting replicas of the Eiffel Tower on every bend? Caravans selling foie gras and champagne rather than chips and beer? Hoardings by Monet and Renoir? The Millau Viaduct* in place of planks to hop over?Maybe it's just me but this seems like any other field in Belgium, except that it's in France. Just a grassy field with a few hills and mud. No recognizable features, could literally be anywhere in the world.
Funnily enough, that's actually what makes this a typically French course. Wide, fast, with no particular features. Now probably made less fast because of the weather.Maybe it's just me but this seems like any other field in Belgium, except that it's in France. Just a grassy field with a few hills and mud. No recognizable features, could literally be anywhere in the world.
Were you expecting replicas of the Eiffel Tower on every bend? Caravans selling foie gras and champagne rather than chips and beer? Hoardings by Monet and Renoir? The Millau Viaduct* in place of planks to hop over?
How would a CycloCross course look French?
*or a 40cm high reproduction of it